15 BRAND NEW PRODUCTS INSIDE!
DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY:
APRIL 2015 UPDATE BUILD THE KIT AND THEN 3D PRINT THE CASE TO PRODUCE THIS FANTASTIC LOOKING FM RADIO: see inside for more information
ALSO INSIDE
NEW PRODUCTS
1 million kits sold D&T curriculum review Teach Design ‘Design & Make The Future’ event BBC ‘Make It Digital’ campaign
FM radio & aerial IsoSketch drawing aid Speakers and accessories Perspex and acrylic products 3D printer – Robox
We are delighted to announce that Kitronik has shipped its one millionth electronic project kit! We wanted to let everyone know as we're very proud of the work we are doing. The kits have been sold to over 3,000 schools, so to everyone who has used one of our products we’d like to say a big ‘Thank You’ for your support. Kitronik co-founder Kevin Spurr explains how the national interest in creating our own electronic and digital products has changed and grown in the last few years: “Creating and building electronic circuits and products has been taking place in schools for many years, but it has also grown in popularity with the general public and the ever expanding ‘Maker’ movement. We love to see the enthusiasm many young people have when they get the chance to make their first electronic circuit. We have many new ideas for the future and can’t wait to help even more people discover this fantastic area of learning and creating. There is a shortage of electronics designers, so if we can encourage more people to take up careers in a technology or engineering subject then we will be very proud of what we have achieved.” Kitronik co-founder Kevin Spurr teaching soldering skills during a recent school visit 2
“ We love to see the enthusiasm many young people have when they get the chance to make their first electronic circuit.”
D&T CURRICULUM DELAYS In our last update we reported on the upcoming changes to the D&T Curriculum. These were due to come into force in September 2016. This has been delayed until September 2017 (though Food Preparation and Nutrition remain until September 2016). More information on the D&T curriculum review can be found on the Design and Technology Association website at the link shown to the right.
www.data.org.uk/news/progress-withgcse-and-gce-review
“ The review of the subject content that informs the development of new GCSE specification provides us with a much needed opportunity. We can make sure that the courses we provide at key stage 4 are fit for purpose, relevant and of interest to students. It should stimulate the incorporation of new technologies and in particular control systems and electronics into products students design and make. The range of programmable technology that is now so accessible and affordable, produced by companies such as Kitronik, has made a massive difference to the level of sophistication students can achieve in the products they design and make.” – Andy Mitchell, Assistant Chief Executive, Design and Technology Association
TEACH DESIGN: DESIGN & MAKE THE FUTURE EVENT Teach Design, in partnership with the National STEM Centre, is offering this exciting day for Design and Technology teachers on Saturday 16 May 2015 at the National STEM Centre in York. ‘Design and Make the Future’ is an annual event for design and technology and engineering teachers packed with activities and ideas to help develop your curriculum. There is an exhibition area, keynote speakers and workshops. We’ll be there, so come along and say hello!
www.kitronik.co.uk/teachdesign 3
Last month the BBC launched it’s Make it
In addition to the inspirational programmes
Digital campaign, a major UK-wide initiative
being broadcast on TV & radio, Make It Digital
to inspire a new generation to get creative
aims to encourage students in to technical
with coding, programming and digital
careers. From this summer Make it Digital
technology. BBC Make it Digital will capture
Traineeship will help up to 5,000 young
the spirit of the BBC Micro, which helped
unemployed people boost their digital skills
Britain get to grips with the first wave of
and get a foot on the jobs ladder. A nine-week
personal computers in the 1980s, for the
traineeship including training from the
digital age.
world-renowned BBC Academy, will teach basic digital skills, such as creating simple
As part of the project the BBC will be
websites and short videos for the web; and
broadcasting a range of content across TV,
gets young people ready for work with
Radio and Online, showcasing how Britain
employability skills and a work placement.
has helped shape the digital world, raise awareness among mainstream audiences on why digital matters, and inspire younger audiences to have a go and get creative with digital technologies. Viewers of wellestablished programmes such as Doctor Who and the One Show will be encouraged to get creative with digital and there will also be a number of new programmes produced
“BBC Make it Digital could help digital creativity become as familiar & fundamental as writing.” – Tony Hall, BBC Director-General
specifically for the project.
Want to learn more? Visit 4
www.bbc.co.uk/makeitdigital
During the autumn term, the BBC will be giving a free programmable board to all year 7 students. This compact hand held device, currently known as a Micro Bit allows students to run their own programmes and can be quickly coded to scroll text and respond to inputs, either via a graphical interface or by code. Kitronik will be working with the BBC and over 25 partners (including Arm, Microsoft and the IET) to help deliver the Micro Bit project. We will be using our expertise to help teachers, parents and children get the most out of the 'wearable' aspect of the device. We're working on the finer details and hope to share exactly how we'll be doing this over the coming months, but it will involve some resources and events to get hands-on experience.
The BBC Make it Digital launch event
The Micro Bit (prototype)
5 x 5 LED matrix for images & scrolling text
Switch
Expansion connector for more advanced projects
USB connector for programming
Switch
Connections for use with conductive thread or crocodile clip leads
5
KITRONIK’S FM RADIO KIT SUCCESS Our FM Radio kit has proven to be a very popular kit. Though the kit has been designed for use in schools, the number of parts used in the circuit and the cost of the kit means that it is often used for Key Stage 4 projects. On this page you can see a number of great examples that have been produced by students at the Hawkley Hall High School. We have recently introduced a new version of the FM radio kit. We did this because the ICs used on the original design had become obsolete. The newer ICs used on the replacement kit have had the added benefit of increasing the performance and stability of the FM radio.
FM RADIO SHOWCASE
See more at:
www.kitronik.co.uk/radiogallery
MyMiniFactory.com have created a 3D printable case for the new version of the kit (as shown on the front cover). You can download the print files free of charge from their website. More information on this can be found at: www.kitronik.co.uk/3dprints 6
FM RADIO KIT The FM radio kit uses industrial surface mount ICs (the Si4820 and the NCP2890). The FM radio kit is supplied with the ICs mounted on the board. The students have to add the remaining resistors, capacitors and amplifier IC to finish the kit. The radio has controls for tuning and to adjust the volume. The circuit includes an audio amplifier and output is via a 66mm diameter speaker that is supplied with the kit. www.kitronik.co.uk/2157 Code
1+
5+
50+
2157
£12.00 £10.50 £9.50
200+*
300+*
£9.025 £8.550
* Price shown includes bulk buy discount
TELESCOPIC FM AERIAL ANTENNA This Telescopic FM Aerial Antenna is designed to be compatible with our FM radio kit. It includes solder tag and bolt for simple connection and mounting. It is a great way of adding a more professional look and feel to your final design (as shown in the example image, below left).
Example of the Antenna in use
Length: 11cm (minimum) to 49cm (maximum). www.kitronik.co.uk/2006 Description
Code
1+
10+
Telescopic FM Aerial Antenna
2006
£2.20
£1.80 7
ISOSKETCH DRAWING TOOL 3D drawing skills can be a major barrier to learning in creative subjects like Product Design, Resistant Materials and Graphic Products. The whole point of D&T should be that your imagination is the limit - not your talent. The IsoSketch 3D Drawing Tool is a precision design stencil, designed to help create perfect isometric drawings in seconds, or intricate masterpieces with a bit more patience. The IsoSketch is ideally suited for use in schools, thanks to its compact design and the ten individual design tools it incorporates. Made from Shatterproof Styralux, the IsoSketch is a rugged, durable tool which can withstand a significant degree of pressure without damage. Available as an individual item or in a class pack of 30, the IsoSketch is especially suited to beginners looking for a simple solution to drawing great quality diagrams and plans.
See the IsoSketch in use at www.thedrawingtoolcompany.com/videos
www.kitronik.co.uk/26105
8
Description
Code
1+
IsoSketch 3D Drawing Tool Single Pack
26105-01
£4.08
IsoSketch 3D Drawing Tool Class Pack – pack of 30
26105-30
£80.00
SPEAKERS AND ACCESSORIES 100MM SPEAKER GRILLES These protective grilles are designed to protect 100mm speakers and are a perfect match for our speaker code 3312 (which are used on our High Power Amp kit). They are available in a round or square design. The protective mesh section is made of painted metal on the round version and plastic on the square version. The outer section on both versions is made of plastic. www.kitronik.co.uk/3334 & www.kitronik.co.uk/3335 Description
Code
1+
10+
100mm Round Protective Speaker Grille
3334
£5.50
£5.00
100mm Square Protective Speaker Grille
3335
£1.90
£1.40
65MM SQUARE SPEAKER GRILLES This protective grille is designed to protect 65mm speakers and is a perfect match for our speaker code 3315 (which are used on our 3W Class D Amp kit). They are available in a square design. The protective mesh section is made of painted metal and the outer section is made of plastic. www.kitronik.co.uk/3336 Description
Code
1+
10+
65mm Square Protective Speaker Grille
3336
£3.85
£3.40
ULTRA THIN SPEAKER Sometimes the aesthetic design of a product can limit the space available for components such as speakers. If this is the case then these 40mm Mylar cone speakers might be just what you are looking for. With a very flat design (under 5mm) they will allow you to create product designs that may not be possible with a standard speaker. They are a high quality design and manufactured by Visaton. 0.3W 8 Ohm. www.kitronik.co.uk/3333 Description
Code
1+
40mm Mylar Cone Miniature Speaker
3333
£3.10 9
NEW ACRYLIC GREENCAST ACRYLIC SHEET This 100% recycled premium quality Clear Greencast Acrylic Sheet is made from 100% recycled MMA, making it extremely environmentally friendly.
www.kitronik.co.uk/43121
It looks, performs, fabricates and lasts as long as standard virgin acrylics. It is also free from volatile organic compounds and hydro- fluorocarbon. The protective film is PVC free and safe for laser cutting.
Description
Code
1+
Clear Greencast Acrylic Sheet – 3mm x 600mm x 400mm
43121
£5.00
COLOURED MIRRORED ACRYLIC We now stock a vibrant range of coloured acrylic mirror sheet from Plaskolite. Made from extruded acrylic sheet, each mirror is protected by the industry's toughest, most durable backing. All coloured acrylic mirror is covered by a protective laserable film. www.kitronik.co.uk/mirror
10
Description
Code
1+
Red Mirrored Acrylic Sheet – 3mm x 600mm x 400mm
43132
£17.75
Purple Mirrored Acrylic Sheet – 3mm x 600mm x 400mm
43133
£17.75
Gold Mirrored Acrylic Sheet – 3mm x 600mm x 400mm
43134
£17.75
Bronze Mirrored Acrylic Sheet – 3mm x 600mm x 400mm
43135
£17.75
Green Mirrored Acrylic Sheet – 3mm x 600mm x 400mm
43136
£17.75
THE RBX01 ROBOX® 3D PRINTER IS HERE!
www.kitronik.co.uk/robox
The Robox is a desktop 3D printer which marks a new level of innovation in 3D printer development. The Robox 3D printer has all the features that you would expect from an extrusion-type 3D printer, with the addition of a number of unique features. For this reason we think the Robox is the ideal choice for any education or hobby 3D printer user.
The RBX1 Robox® 3D printer in action
WHAT IS SUPPLIED?
• RBX01 Robox® 3D printer
• USB stick & cable
• 1 Reel of Filament
• Tweezers
• Instruction manual
• High temperature lubricant
• 2 Year Warranty
• Tools
• AutoMaker software
• Tote bag
Description
Code
1+
RBX01 Robox® 3D printer
5401
£833.25 11
3D PRINTING DESIGN FILES www.kitronik.co.uk/3dprints
We are currently producing a range of 3D printable cases and accessories that you will be able to use in conjunction with our range of kits. The great team over at MyMiniFactory.com have already produced these fantastic designs which you can download and use today!
FREE SAMPLES Request your free sample Kitronik project kit by phone, email or online at:
www.kitronik.co.uk/services/samples
The samples service is available for any self assembly electronic kit which is marked as exclusive to Kitronik (excludes any kit where the price for one is over ÂŁ8)
All prices shown are exclusive of VAT, delivery charge may be applicable.
T: 0845 8380781 A: Kitronik Unit 3a, Shipstones Business Centre, North Gate, Nottingham, NG7 7FN W: www.kitronik.co.uk E: sales@kitronik.co.uk
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